Sports and Hobbies Thread

[Astrojewels]

Andrew X,
Yes I am a bit younger than you, just a bit! And thanks a lot I had that song all day in my head, I was singing cool change all day, my daughter asked me what is that song? I told her it was from the old days, I know it is not that old compared to some but for her the old days are the 80’s.
Wow, you have some great stories of sea adventures, to see the whales and dolphins like that in the wild would be just breathtaking, I can only imagine what you say about when they look at you with their eyes, and somehow totally understand as there is this magical beauty about them. I was listening on talk back the other day and this ‘captain’ of a Greenpeace boat was looking for the Japanese whaling ships, as they hunt our waters, they should be skinned and fed to the lions.
You are truly blessed to have a ‘sea life’ it is amazing at what the sea does for the soul, the endless beauty, the sea life it is like another world.
So you eat fish for Christmas.
Would you say the fish are healthy? Are our coastlines clean and abundant?
Have you ever ventured overseas on a big fishing trip?

[AndrewX]

Yes I am a bit younger than you, just a bit! And thanks a lot I had that song all day in my head, I was singing cool change all day, my daughter asked me what is that song? I told her it was from the old days, I know it is not that old compared to some but for her the old days are the 80’s.

Of course Karen... only a little bit younger... as I'm not too old myself.:big grin:lol

Nice song isn't it?  By the Little River Band in the 70's... good tight outfit of professional old time rockers that sang lighter stuff when they formed the LittleRiverBand.  Here's another one of their songs that I like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5RDn5Y0D_0&feature=related

You are truly blessed to have a ‘sea life’ it is amazing at what the sea does for the soul, the endless beauty, the sea life it is like another world.

I am blessed Karen, in many ways and my sea life is a large part of that.  Being out there is nothing short of a privelidge and I treat it as such.  The majority of the population dream of ONCE doing what I do all the time so that makes it a true blessing in my books.  In my time I have experianced things on the Sea that most people would NOT believe.  Being caught out in gigantic seas in the middle of the Ocean with a small boat, watching 2 huge blue Marlins glow like they were lit with fluorescent lights from the inside as the slowly made their way down into prestine ocean waters off Cairns doing their pre-mating 'circling' dive in a large radial circle of about 50foot wide opposing each other with a stare that was unmistakably sexual.  On that day, I and another 2 good mates were fishing in a 6metre Alloy monohull about 10miles off the OUTER Great Barrier Reef; which placed us about 20-30miles off the coast of Qld.  The water was so hot that it had that errie purple tinge to it, which is the source of sheer happiness to all game fishers.  When the water in the Ocean has a light purple tinge it means that it is above 23degC... ie true gamefishing temperature.  We had an easy 50 feet of visibility in it and as we would bring up a 4-5foot long fish, we would first spot in the depths as it looked no more than 2inches long... that's how far down we could see.  From the time we would spot it on it its way up till we landed it could often take over 15 minutes.lolol  As we sat there drifting with the motor OFF and 4 live baits out set at differing depths, we suddenly noticed that the fish went off the bite.  No sooner did we question this abrupt stoppage when looked like a 350lbs FEMALE Blue Marlin suddenly appeared next to our boat only a few feet below the surface.  She was shining so we couldn't believe it, much more than normally, and she was moving slowly in a large circle and looked to be shivering/shaking her body ever so slightly at a very high frequency... spasmodically if you will.  This lasted less than a minute when out of the blue appears a 500lb MALE BlueMarlin who then joins her on the opposite side of the large circle she was swimming in and followed her around the path of the circle matching her speed and continually keeping on the opposing side of the circle that she was on... IOW, they remained 180degrees away from each other.  So here's us ont he boat, totally oblivious to the fact that we were suppose to be fishing, in absolute awe of this specticle that beheld us and wondering what on earth these two massive fish were doing.  They then BOTH lit up even moreso and then started their slow and very graceful dive downwards into the depths while remaining in opposed positions in the radial circle they were swimming in.  After a minute or so they disappeared from sight and a few minutes after that our lines once again went crazy with fish taking our baits.  I was simply gobsmacked with the whole scenario and will never forget it.  We later asked locals about it and they confirmed that the 2 Marlins were conducting their mating ritual.  One old timer mentioned that when they both started glowing at their maximum intensity after sizing each other up was the point where the females 'accepted' the male as her partner.  They somehow communicate 'that' in the water and it causes hightened stimulii in them.  Reminds me of myself sometimes.:big grin:LOLOL

I've seen life been given at Sea, even human life, and I've seen death; human also.  I've experainced the entire plethera of the life chain and cycle out there at one point or another in my life.  I've seen both beauty and ferocity beyond verbal description.  One thing you fast learn in the Sea is that it can a place of extreme beauty, but it can also be a place of No Mercy.  The magnitude of its power is beyond most people's understanding, it is truly awesome.  As for those who choose NOT to respect her... they are fast sorted by her as she relinguishes them of their lives faster than you can blink.  In her 'sanctuary' there is only room for those who respect her, and a bottomless abyss for all others.  Her brutality in this will NEVER waiver, so be well warned;  The only cowboys at Sea are dead cowboys.

So you eat fish for Christmas.

...and Turkey.:big grin:

Would you say the fish are healthy? Are our coastlines clean and abundant?

I'm not a marine biologist Karen but I will say that the fish I eat leave a very warm feeling in my belly.  That can only be achieved by eating something that is very good you, like one does when they have a well made soup in winter when they are hungry.  All my fish smell of is the Ocean, nothing else.  Apart from that, I can't say much more other than if they were doing me any harm I would have long known it by now.

Our oceanic and open water coastlines are clean now Karen.  Problems occur when you get very close to large scale civilization, and even they do so only close to the shore of the area in question.  Further out from the shoreline it becomes much better even when one is very close to a major city near the beach.  We are reasonably abundant in marine life, but nothing like what we were in yesteryear.  That is why everyone should practice releasing the 'breeding stock' of fish species they land.  'Breeding stock' as in LARGE specimen females of a given species of fish.  Those should NEVER be kept.  If everyone practice this our fish stocks would go up by a factor of 10 in less than 20 years.

Have you ever ventured overseas on a big fishing trip?

AndermanSea off Thailand for mind boggling gamefishing for 2weeks and the Ioannian Sea in the Mediteranean for many weeks... and in Tazzie many times... you did say OS.:big grin:

[AndrewX]

BTW... does no one else have any hobbies or sports they wish to talk about? Don't be shy... come on.:D

[Astrojewels]

Andrew X,
I think you have taken the spotlight with your hobbies and sport, I can’t explain it but I understand what you say about the ocean, although I have never done anything like you, and being an astrologer may seem totally opposite for any comparison, but the passion in your words is how I feel toward all the elements, and water has this special quality, like how you say it has beauty but at times no mercy.
I can tell you that I have often metaphorically explained ones water elements with the uncertainty of water in order to clarify the complexity of their individuality.
When I was very young I watched a documentary on Bruce lee, and was totally amazed at how he talked about water and the ability to change in a flash, he said that he often thought of his body as all water, moving, flowing and changing without resistance. He said when you fight the elements they become great obstacles that are a reflection of your own understanding to our existence. I love Bruce lees philosophy.
It is stories like the one you tell of the marlin that gives me optimism in this world, for some they would say “big deal” but to me the energy behind the wonderful world of nature proves over and over that this world was constructed partly by beauty and not entirely by the beast. It is also nice to know our oceans are clean.
Thanks Andrew, fish for Christmas that is different, how do you blend turkey and fish? What do you do so the tastes do not clash?

[AndrewX]

It is stories like the one you tell of the marlin that gives me optimism in this world, for some they would say “big deal” but to me the energy behind the wonderful world of nature proves over and over that this world was constructed partly by beauty and not entirely by the beast.

Life is beautiful in many ways Karen.  It has it's ups and downs, it problems and all, but in the end, isn't it funny how very few want to die?  This doesn't mean we have to be content with everything that's dished up to us, but at least we haven't reached the stage where death is a better alternative for all.  But if the 13 get there way in a few more years, this may change to the latter for those that have free mind and will.  It never ceases to amaze me how the simplest things in life are the most beautiful.  Louise Armstrong's song called What a Wonderful World is in focus if you ask me.  Once people get to the point where they cannot see the beauty of the trees, the birds and blue sky, it is high time for them to stop and immediately access their life's direct and priorities before it's too late.  If one cannot see vivid beauty in any of those fundamental ambiences then they will not see beauty anywhere or in anything; it really is that simple I'm afraid.

Thanks Andrew, fish for Christmas that is different, how do you blend turkey and fish? What do you do so the tastes do not clash?

I don't blend them Karen, I cook them seperately as I would if I was cooking only one of them.  The blending occurs after we eat them.lol  Always remember the basics of meat... similar coloured meats go well together.  White meat, irrespective as to what kind it is, will always compliment other white meat.  As does pork and chicken, lamb and beef, game-meat and beef or lamb, beef/lamb and Tuna(dark meat fish)... or fish and turkey/chicken/pork.  What doesn't go too well is when meats of differeing colours are eaten together.  Which is why the recently developed menu option in many resturants has now fallen dead on its bum... "Surf and Turf".  I giggled the first time I saw it a few years ago and made mention to people that such a combo does not compliment itself.  Some couldn't understand what I was saying at the time, but now, you will NOT find it in any resturant that I know of.  Beef and fish simply do not mix... the proteins contained in fish clash with the dark meat proteins often creating a 'heavy' or somewhat slightly 'upset' stomach.  They don't match on our palettes, nor on our digestive system.  IT can in fact make digesting it harder than if you ate only beef or only fish.  Hence its fast demise from our resturants.  Those who may tell you they like it do not know what they're talking about.  They are NOT in tune with their body.  Even when making meat skewers for the BBQ it is best to keep this rule in mind if you want delicious tasting and gentle digesting eats.  If you wish to mix lamb/beef with pork cubes, it is best to use the parts of the pig meat which are very dark, that look almost like red meat.  DO NOT use the parts of the pig whose meat is WHITE.  Those should be used ONLY for mixing with Chicken or Turkey cubes.  Try it next time you make skewers with more than 1 type of meat and you'll see what I mean.

As for the Turkey... I never cook it whole as it always dries over half the meat in it by the time it's ready.  I always CRACK it in half, and lay the 2 halves SKIN down in a huge oven pan, or make 2 seperate pans if the bird is too large.  I then fill the pan with my veggies (mushrooms are a must with Turkey)... mushies, potato, carrot and brocolli... add in a bit of oil over the bird and veggies, fill with water, and into a medium oven (180-200C) for over an hour or till you are left with about only 1/3 the level of liquid you started with in the pan (which most of the half-width of the Turkey is still bathing in), and the skin is browned perfectly while the veggies have that delicous glaze on them all.  Not forgetting, after 40mins of cooking to turn over ALL the veggies and the BIRD so it finishes 'skin' side up and aids in the browning.  Once served, the meat melts like marshmellow in the mouth, but more importantly it is oozing with the juices of all the cooked veggies and itself.  When cooked like this, I have never had ANY Turkey leftovers at Xmas, even if I cook up to 400g of meat per person.  Everyone ends up fighting for the last piece as they proclaim it to be the most tender and moist Turkey they've ever eaten.  I may not have a picture perfect Turkey by cutting it in half, by I do have one which is fall-apart-tender and melts in the mouth... which may I add is impossible to achieve when cooking a Turkey whole.

ALSO... if your Turkey is frozen solid, dethaw it by submersing totally in clean freshwater.  This may mean that you need to seal a brick into a clean plastic bag to place on top of the bird to stop it from floating out of the water.  If your Turkey is fresh and has never been frozen , then just use it as is... it won't be dehydrated from the 'freezing'.  Submercing a frozen bird in water will rehydrate it during the dethawing process.  That makes for a juicier bird.

... enough on cooking:big grin: 

Here's a SouthernCalamari I caught last Wed (2days ago) from the Portsea Pier.  I was in the area visiting a friend for the festive season who lives 1 town way from Portsea, and after I left I went down to the pier for a quick line dip at 10pm because I knew there was a high tide at that time.  After 15mins of spinning the 7inch long imitation-prawn lure, I landed this one which wieghed about 2kg/4.5lbs.  The planks of wood on the pier that you see are over 1foot wide.  After landing this one I quickly packed it in and drove home.  Calamari anyone?:big grin: 

Thumbnail:

[AndrewX]

I thought I'd also post this pic of a Calamari a friend of mine caught a few years ago fishing with me just inside a bay at a place called Flinders.  In the backround is one of the points of the mouth of the Bay, just past it is the Ocean.  Nice day, but too calm for my liking.  I love this pic because of it's colours.

In case she sees this, "Hi Natalie!!":big grin:

[Polly]

That's fascinating how you do turkey, Andrew.

[Astrojewels]

Yes Andrew, that is a different way to cook turkey, I do not eat pork but do cook it at Christmas for my guests, they love it, I believe that pork should not be eaten by humans. My mistake for the way I wrote that, I did not think you would actually blend them but the two tastes are very different, and was curious how you served them together.
I am sure food was part of my DNA, I could not count the hours I have spent in a kitchen, I have always worked with food, we had a restaurant for 6 years and at home I am always busy but everyone that knows me, knows the best time to get conversation is while I am cooking.
I agree that the simplest things in life are the most precious, the things that money can not buy, or the things that no person can give as a gift, I love that song and I also love ‘born to be alive’ by Patrick Fernandez.
It is part of the agenda to take away beauty from the physical senses, because all that is left is the programmed mind, I don’t believe this will ever happen. Love the calm waters in that pic, it is so inviting, truly awesome.

[AndrewX]

I cooked the Turkey for Xmas in an seaside apartment we were staying in at Port Albert... it was as tasty as always.:big grin:  As was all the seafood I cooked with it.  It fed a group of 6people and the cakes that followed finished us all off.  I in my usual Xmas manner laid down on the lounge after all the eating and slowly died.LOL  The weather was not the best but we were able to sneak a few hours in every afternoon as the weather would back off a little for a short while.  a few days after Xmas we were OK weather wise and back in full swing.  We caught alot of fish and hardly had enough time to pull the camera out for some nice pics... but we did on a few occasions and here is 2 of them.

 

A monster 5kilo Calamari compliments of SthGippsland-BassStrait caught by your's-truly one calm morning after the Xmas storm...

 



 

And here's another eerie looking pic that stood out from the small batch I took that day of a 7kilo snapper my mate landed using a rubber lure...

 

[Astrojewels]

Wow, that is a massive fish, it sounds like you had a wonderful time, and how delightful spending it with all your friends near the sea, and yes Christmas is always eating too much and then the body requires that nanna nap to recover! The weather was cold over Christmas but we can not say that now, can we?
Good luck for the new year